Crease-retaining device for hats



(No Model.)

. S. E. FOREMAN. GREASE RETAINING DEVICE FOR HATS.

No. 419,653. Patented Jan. 21,1890.

Nv PETERS. Phoio'LflhogupMr. waning. I10.

UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL E. FOREMAN, OF GREENLEAF, KANSAS.

GREASE-RETAINING DEVICE FOR HATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 419,653, dated January21, 1890.

Application filed August 24, 1889.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. FOREMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Greenleaf, in the county of \Vashington and State of Kansas,have invented a 'new and useful Hat-Former, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention has relation to a hat-former, and is adapted for use inconnection with felt and other hats that are provided with a creaseacross the crown thereof.

Among the objects in view are to provide a simply and cheaplyconstructed clasp or former adapted to be applied to the inside of a hatthe crown of which has been creased and to embrace said crown at eachside of its crease, thus maintaining the crease against accidentaldisplacement.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of a hat provided with acrease-former constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is atransverse section; Fig. 3, abot-tom plan; Fig. 4, a detail inperspective of the former.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

In practicing my invention, for the purpose of simplicity and cheapness,I prefer to form the former, hereinafter described, of suitablespring-Wire and in a single piece, though, as will be apparent, otherforms will suggest themselves to those skilled in hat-making.

1 represents the former, which consists of a single piece of wire bentnear its middle in a large loop, as at 2, forming the long and. shortarms 3 and 4. The free end of the long arm 3 is bent, as at 5, to form acorrespond ing loop, and the two terminals of the wire are soldered or'otherwise connected. The two arms are then given a uniform curve, asshown. Each of the loops of the former thus constructed is preferablyslightly opened or flared, as shown.

Serial No. 321,817. (No model.)

In applying the former the desired depth of crease is made and the armsspread and inserted within the hat and over the crease, so as to embracethe crease at both sides. The ends of the crease will therefore standwithin the flared ends or loops of the former, and by reason of theflaring of the ends the exterior of the crease is slightly rounded andthe felt prevented from breaking at that point. The interior of eachloop being large is out of contact with the bottom of the crease wherethe latter is folded, and the felt is not,

therefore, liable to be broken or even permanently creased at thatpoint, because the former presses the sides of the creased portiontogether at all points throughout its length except at its ends, wherethe bowed loops do not touch the felt.

Having described my invention, what I claim is The combination, with asoft hat the crown of which is provided with an inwardly-disposedcrease, of the herein-described former constructed of spring-wire, thesame comprising parallel arms 3 4, normally following the curve of thetop of the crown and pressing the depressed portions thereof together,and

open bowed ends 2 5, spanning but out of contact with the base or foldof the crease, the outer rounded faces'of these ends normally exerting alongitudinal expansive tension upon the crown, as and for the purposeset forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL E. FOREMAN.

Witnesses:

A. LEWIs, P. D. WILLIAMs.

